Mark Hampton and his siblings grew up “Army brats.” His father was a Ranger who served in Vietnam, and retired Lieutenant Colonel promotable. Both Mark and his brother Bill entered the Navy. Although Bill, a murse, and Mark, a musician, were not as kickin’ butt he-man as their father, they both wished to serve this country, and did so in their own way.
Fortunately, because of this split in our family, the Army-Navy Game is a much anticipated annual event. We love to watch Navy win, and we hate to see Army loose. With this in mind, I wanted to reserve a small space on my site dedicated to this historical game. All material has been retrieved and reproduced from their respective Wikipedia pages.
The Army–Navy Game
The Army–Navy Game is an annual college football game that commenced in 1890 between the teams of the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York and the United States Naval Academy (USNA) at Annapolis, Maryland. It is one of the most traditional and enduring rivalries in college football. The winner of the game is awarded the Thompson Cup, named after its donor, Robert M. Thompson.
The most recent game in the series was held at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , on December 12, 2009. Navy won by a score of 17-3. Navy now leads the alltime series with a record of 54 wins, 49 losses, and seven ties.
The Army–Navy Game has been held at several locations throughout its history, but has most frequently been played in Philadelphia, roughly equidistant from the two academies. In 2009, the game was moved from the first Saturday in December to the second Saturday so that it will once again be the last regular-season contest in college football.
One of the great appeals of this game to many fans is that since few, if any, of the participants will ever play in the NFL, they're playing solely for the love of the game. However, quarterback Roger Staubach (Navy, 1965) went on to a Hall of Fame career with the Dallas Cowboys that included being named the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl VI. Wide receiver and kickoff/punt returner Phil McConkey (Navy, 1979) was a popular player on the New York Giants' squad that won Super Bowl XXI. Running back Napoleon McCallum (Navy, 1985) was able to concurrently serve his commitment to the Navy and play for the then-Los Angeles Raiders. After satisfying his Navy commitment, he joined the Raiders full time.
At the end of the game the alma maters of the losing team and then the winning team are played and sung. The winning team stands alongside the losing team and faces the losing academy students; then the losing team accompanies the winning team, facing their students. This is done in a show of mutual respect and solidarity.
Historical Events:
- Instant replay made its debut in the 1963 Army-Navy game.
- Navy Midshipman (and later Admiral) Joseph Mason Reeves wore what is widely regarded as the first football helmet in the 1893 Army–Navy Game. He had been advised by a Navy doctor that another kick to his head would result in "instant insanity" or even death, so he commissioned an Annapolis shoemaker to make him a helmet out of leather.
- On November 27, 1926, the Army–Navy Game traveled to Chicago for the National Dedication of Soldier Field as a monument to American servicemen who had fought in World War I. Navy came to the game undefeated, while West Point had only lost to Notre Dame, so the game would decide the National Championship. Played before a crowd of over 100,000, the teams fought to a 21-21 tie, but Navy was awarded the national championship.
- In both the 1944 and 1945 contests, Army and Navy entered the game ranked #1 and #2 respectively. The 1945 game was labeled the "game of the century" before it was played. Army defeated a 7-0-1 Navy team 32-13. Navy's lone tie was against Notre Dame.
- The 34-0 Navy victory over Army on December 6, 2008, was the first shutout in the series since 1978 and marked the second time a Navy coach defeated Army in his first year of coaching, following Wayne Hardin in 1959.
MASCOTS
Bill the Goat is the mascot of the United States Naval Academy. The mascot is a live goat and is also represented by a costumed midshipman. There is also a bronze statue of the goat just inside Gate 1, the main gate to the Academy grounds. This statue also plays a role in "Army Week" traditions.
The Navy Monkey (which was really a gorilla) was the first mascot, which was George Bancroft's favorite animal, and stayed the primary mascot - along with a cat - from 1847 to 1851. The first Bill the Goat appeared in 1893. Currently, Bill XXXIII reigns as the 36th mascot and is the 33rd goat to be named Bill. His backup is Bill XXXIV.
The Army Mules are a group of three mules which serve as the mascots of the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.
The tradition of mules as mascots for Army dates back to 1899, when an officer at the Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot decided that the team needed a mascot to counter the Navy goat. Mules were an obvious choice, as they were used as haulers for Army gear for generations. Not much is known about the "official" mules until 1936, when Mr. Jackson, a former Army pack mule, arrived from Front Royal, Virginia. He served for twelve years, presiding over two national championship teams. Starting with Mr. Jackson, there have been fifteen "official" Army mules, only one, "Buckshot," being female. The current mule corps are:
- Raider (formerly known as Joker): Raider is the senior mule who has been on campus since 1995.
- Ranger II (also known as George): Named, like his predecessor, for the 75th Ranger Regiment and all Rangers past and present, Ranger II came to the Academy in 2002 as a gift of Steve Townes, class of 1975.
- General Scott (also known as Scotty): Like Ranger II, Scotty came to the Academy as a gift from Steve Townes. He is named for Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Willard W. Scott Jr., a former USMA Superintendent and Army Mule supporter.
The Army Mules are trained by cadet "Mule Riders," a part of the Spirit Support Activity of the U.S. Corps of Cadets. Together they are present at many athletic events, parades, and other ceremonial activities. The day to day care is provided by the soldiers and officers of the Army Veterinary Corps.
SONGS
NAVY:
In 1906, Lieut. Zimmerman was approached by Midshipman First Class Alfred Hart Miles with a request for a new march. As a member of the Class of 1907, Miles and his classmates "were eager to have a piece of music that would be inspiring, one with a swing to it so it could be used as a football marching song, and one that would live forever."
Supposedly, with the two men seated at the Naval Academy Chapel organ, Zimmermann composed the tune and Miles set the title and wrote the first two stanzas in November 1906. This march was played by the band and sung by the brigade at the 1906 Army-Navy football game later that month, and for the first time in several seasons, Navy won. This march, Anchors Aweigh, was subsequently dedicated to the Academy Class of 1907 and adopted as the official song of the U.S. Navy. The concluding stanza was written by Midshipman Royal Lovell, Class of 1926.
Original Lyrics
Stand Navy down the field, sails set to the sky.
We'll never change our course, so Army you steer shy-y-y-y.
Roll up the score, Navy, Anchors Aweigh.
Sail Navy down the field and sink the Army, sink the Army Grey.
Get underway, Navy, Decks cleared for the fray,
We'll hoist true Navy Blue So Army down your Grey-y-y-y.
Full speed ahead, Navy; Army heave to,
Furl Black and Grey and Gold and hoist the Navy, hoist the Navy Blue
Blue of the Seven Seas; Gold of God's great sun
Let these our colors be Till all of time be done-n-n-ne,
By Severn shore we learn Navy's stern call:
Faith, courage, service true With honor over, honor over all.
Revised Lyrics
by George D. Lottman
(It is Verse 2 that is most widely sung)
[Verse 1]
Stand, Navy, out to sea, Fight our battle cry;
We'll never change our course, So vicious foe steer shy-y-y-y.
Roll out the TNT, Anchors Aweigh. Sail on to victory
And sink their bones to Davy Jones, hooray!
[Verse 2]
Anchors Aweigh, my boys, Anchors Aweigh.
Farewell to college joys, we sail at break of day-ay-ay-ay.
Through our last night on shore, drink to the foam,
Until we meet once more. Here's wishing you a happy voyage home.
ARMY:
The song was originally written by field artillery First Lieutenant [later Brigadier General] Edmund L. Gruber, while stationed in the Philippines in 1908 as the "Caisson Song." The original lyrics reflect routine activities in a horse-drawn field artillery battery. The song was transformed into a march by John Philip Sousa in 1917 and renamed "The Field Artillery Song."
It was adopted in 1956 as the official song of the Army and retitled, "The Army Goes Rolling Along." The current lyrics tell the story of our past, our present, and our future.
Verse:
March along, sing our song, with the Army of the free.
Count the brave, count the true, who have fought to victory.
We’re the Army and proud of our name!
We’re the Army and proudly proclaim:
First Chorus:
First to fight for the right,
And to build the Nation’s might,
And The Army Goes Rolling Along.
Proud of all we have done,
Fighting till the battle’s won,
And the Army Goes Rolling Along.
Refrain:
Then it’s hi! hi! hey!
The Army’s on its way.
Count off the cadence loud and strong;
For where’er we go,
You will always know
That The Army Goes Rolling Along.
Second Chorus:
Valley Forge, Custer’s ranks,
San Juan Hill and Patton’s tanks,
And the Army went rolling along.
Minute men, from the start,
Always fighting from the heart,
And the Army keeps rolling along.
Refrain: (same as above)
Third Chorus:
(slower, more freely)
Men in rags, men who froze,
Still that Army met its foes,
And the Army went rolling along.
Faith in God, then we’re right,
And we’ll fight with all our might,
As the Army keeps rolling along.
Refrain:
Then it’s hi! hi! hey!
The Army’s on its way.
Count off the cadence loud and strong; (two! three!)
For where’er we go,
You will always know
That THE ARMY GOES ROLLING ALONG! (keep it rolling!)
And THE ARMY GOES ROLLING ALONG!
